Chapter 82: Humans Are Fragile (34)

I remember!

I finally remember!

I need to give him a return gift!

Snap!

The hungry dragon in the endless maze clapped its hands in awe of its own wisdom.

To remember this at all? Truly, no one matches this great one!

“When you receive a gift, you must give something in return—yes, that’s right!”

But after her excitement faded, Valentina fell silent.

She suddenly remembered the one who taught her this.

Wendy.

A slender human girl who, after awakening her sorcerer talent as a child, was shunned by her family and chose to wander alone.

In her own words, her talent was exceptional—she unconsciously awakened her sorcerer abilities at age five.

This should have been a blessing.

But her family were ordinary people, and among the most conservative of believers.

Unable to comprehend—or even hostile toward—this power, they saw Wendy as a monster and subjected her to open discrimination and prolonged abuse.

After enduring for ten years, Wendy set fire to her home and left without hesitation, escaping that nightmare.

Wendy sought out the dragon.

She had once read this line in a book—

Through research, some believed sorcerer bloodlines originated from dragons; if one became a dragon’s servant, the dragon would grant greater power.

After another decade of wandering, enduring countless dangers, she finally found a sleeping dragon atop a sheer cliff.

A massive beast radiating terrifying aura.

But Wendy forgot one thing—invading a dragon’s territory was an act of defiance!

The dragon, awakened by an alien presence, instinctively swiped to crush the intruder.

Wendy desperately tried to flee but could not escape; the dragon easily pinned her in a corner with its tail.

Yet at the last moment, the dragon halted.

Perhaps because they shared a similar aura, Valentina did not kill her—only flapped her wings and drove her away.

But Wendy, barely escaping, did not give up.

Again and again, she climbed the cliff, pleading to Valentina: “Let me become your servant.”

And Valentina rejected her each time, sweeping her off the peak.

At first, Wendy could climb back in a single day; later, it took two days, then three… then four.

Finally, on the eighteenth day, after climbing the peak for the eighth time, battered and broken, the softened dragon no longer drove her away.

The dragon silently allowed Wendy to remain by her side.

Wendy gained her first sanctuary; Valentina gained her first servant.

Thus, the two spent thirty years together.

During those thirty years, Valentina spent most of her time sleeping; each time she awoke, the scene around her had changed significantly.

With each blink, once-new things grew rusty, the peak became more majestic, adorned with unfamiliar objects.

Strange dragon totems, unknown stones delivered by unseen hands, newly built staircases…

And most notably—Wendy had changed from how she first appeared.

She had aged.

Not yet fully decayed, but time had left clear marks on her face.

Though they were alike, they were ultimately different.

Valentina was a mighty dragon; Wendy was merely a frail human.

And humans are fragile.

They die easily.

Injury, illness, hunger, war… and aging.

Even untouched by external forces, they wither and vanish with time.

How can one make humans immortal?

But the answer, deep within, she had long known.

All things, without exception, must face death.

Humans and dragons alike.

Mortals and gods alike.

All will perish.

She understood.

But Valentina could not accept Wendy leaving so soon.

She wanted this time to last longer.

Under the pretext of rewarding her years of devotion, Valentina broke precedent and granted Wendy the status of kin, helping her transform her bloodline into draconic sorcery.

She succeeded.

Wendy became young again, restored to her original appearance.

She gained a powerful body, the power to breathe fire, a commanding aura…

Though Wendy’s future power growth would slow to dragon-like pace, she would also gain a far longer lifespan.

Valentina believed this was enough.

It should have been enough.

But then…

On the day Valentina awoke from a dream, she saw only Wendy, broken and sprawled beside her.

She lay in a pool of blood, wounds large and small across her body, her heart utterly crushed.

Wendy’s injuries were too severe.

She had barely held on until Valentina awoke—no time left for any effort to save her.

She managed only one last whisper: “Lady Valentina, I have disappointed you… I could not walk this millennium with you…” before closing her eyes forever.

Valentina understood.

Humans are weak.

They are incredibly resilient, yet utterly fragile.

A single light tap can end them.

Wendy betrayed her master, her soul returning alone to the embrace of the Chaos Sea.

Just as she had once walked alone to Valentina’s side.

After that…

The memories after grew hazy.

Valentina remembered only that she unleashed torrents of dragon breath, reducing the iron-poured lord’s castle—and every filthy thing inside—to ash.

No, not just one… four!

The four fallen cities, gathering wicked souls—all who dared harm Wendy, her servant—she spared none!

She burned them all with demonic flame!

All of them!!!

Though this ultimately led to her being captured, beaten, and imprisoned by that old fool, Valentina never regretted her actions.

She only regretted not turning and fleeing the moment she saw that old man… sigh.

Click.

As Valentina pouted in regret, a door suddenly materialized near the barred gate.

“Oh? You’re only now… returning?”

Thud.

A bloodied figure burst from the door and collapsed heavily before her.

Thump!

“Herbert?!”

The once cheerful, noble, elegant boy now lay before her like a torn rag.

“…”

Valentina’s breath stopped.

Past and present, two utterly different figures slowly merged, finally becoming one.

Thud.

In that instant, a string in Valentina’s mind…

Snapped again.

You say... if I ended this chapter here, would this cliffhanger be considered nearly beginner-level? (sigh)

Too bad—I still can’t bring myself to do it… sigh!

I’m just too soft-hearted!

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(End of Chapter)